Folding basketball goal-structures



Jan. 23, 1962 Filed March 20, 1959 R. J. MURPHY FOLDING BASKETBALL GOAL-STRUCTURES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8

INM@I FIG. 2

Jan. 23, 1962 R. J. MURPHY 3,018,102

FOLDING BASKETBALL GOAL-STRUCTURES Filed March 20, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 23, 1962 R. J. MURPHY 3,018,102

FOLDING BASKETBALL GOAL-STRUCTURES Filed March 20, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. I3

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l j RAYMOND J. MURPHY ./zff'tt- BY ATTY.

6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 20, 1959 INVENTOR.

RAYMOND J. MURPHY ATT Y r u 1 l l l l IIN |||I||||.H||U mHHIIIHHHHIIIIIIIHHH .1 .r

L L L L E I l J ..-l rziL United States Patent Gilice 3,@l8,l02 Patented Jan. 23, 1962 3,013,102 FLDING BASKETBALL CUAL-STRUCTURES Raymond l2 Murphy, iton, M0., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Medart Lockers, Inc., a corporation Filed Mar. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 800,683 7 Claims. (Cl. 273-15) This invention relates to gymnasium equipment, and more particularly to folding basketball goal-structures. Large gymnasiums having enclosed public arenas wherein indoor sports events are conducted usually have a relatively great area in order that various types of sports events may be conducted and ample spectator space will be afforded for seating structures of one type or another which will `accommodate the spectators. Moreover, in gymnasiums designed for school and college use it is a common practice to provide a large floor Karea which can be sub-divided into a number of playing-courts or exercise areas so that several different classes can be conducted at the same time. Usually, in this latter type of gymnasium, a main basketball court is also laid out in the center of the floor area so that principal sports events, such as basketball, with other school or colleges can. be played in the presence of spectators.

Obviously, a basketball playing-court which is laid out in the center of a large oor area must, of necessity, be remote from the side walls, and end walls of the building and, similarly, the roof structure of a large building covering a gymnasium or indoor arena of this type has a very high roof supported by beams or trusses which are located at a relatively great distance above the playing floor. In such buildings it becomes very complicated, and often impossible, to suspend a basketball goal-structure from the roof or ceiling end, therefore, it becomes necessary to utilize some sort of portable goal-structure which can, when necessary, be moved out into the proper position. Such portable goal-structures, however, m-ust be designed for maximum strength, rigidity, and stability, because a basketball player, when making a shot, will ordinarily propel the ball toward the backstop and basket at a fairly high rate of speed and the resulting impact forces are both large and sudden. Indeed, during many college and professional basketball games the ball will forceably strike one of the backstops every few seconds with considerable impact force. In such games, the players also frequently become involved in very forceable scrambles beneath the goal-structure in making socalled lay up shots, defending against such shots, and endeavoring to recapture the ball on rebounds, with the result that one or more players may be bodily hurled against the backstop structure subjecting it to severe stress. As a consequence of these various structures and considerations, existing types of portable goal-structures are relatively large, cumbersome, and heavy. Such structures, by reason of size and weight, seriously interfere with the view of the game which may be enjoyed by spectators seated against the ends of the basketball court. Furthermore, existing types of portable goal-structures require excessive amounts of storage space and are diicult to move into and out of playing position. Some elforts have heretofore been made to develop a folding type of goal-structure, but such structures as have thus far been developed have been found to be insecure and unstable when set up into operative position, yand also have been found to be extremely cumbersome and diiiicult to operate.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a folding basketball goal-structure which is extremely rugged when set up in playing position but, nevertheless, can be folded up and opened up very quickly and easily.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a folding basketball goal-structure which, when folded up, forms an extremely compact structure which can be stored in a relatively small amount of space and also can be easily moved from place to place in a gymnasium so that it can be taken from its storage location and moved out to playing position by one person with a minimum of physical effort.

It is also -an object of the present invention to provide a folding basketball goal-structure of the type stated which includes power-driven operating means by which the structure can be opened up and folded up.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a folding basketball goal-structure of the type stated which can also be mounted in a floor-Well in such a manner as to be quickly and easily opened up into playing position and, when folded up, will be disposed completely beneath the floor and covered over in such a manner that the area of the floor in the region of the well will present an uninterrupted normal playing surface.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable folding basketball goal-structure constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention, illustrating such goal-structure as it would appear when set up in playing position in a gymnasium;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the goal-structure in opened-up or playing position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the folding goal-structure.

FIG. 4 is a top plan View of the folding goal-structure;

FIG. 5 is la fragmentary sectional view taken along line S--S of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the basketsupporting beam forming `a part of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the goal-structure in folded-up position;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of a folding basketball goal-structure, constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention, illustrating such structure as it would appear when set up in playing position in a gymnasium;

FIG. l0 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line ld-lli of FIG. 9;

FiG. l1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the modied form of goal-structure;

FlG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 12*12 of FIG. l0;

F IG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective View of the modified form of goal-structure diagrammatically illustrating the manner in which the oor closure plugs may be removed; and

FIG. 14 is a sectional View similar to FIG. l0 showing the goal-structure in fully folded or concealed position.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate pr-actical embodiments of the present invention, A designates a basketball goal-structure comprising a rectilinear base frame 1 consisting of spaced parallel side members 2, 3, formed preferably of heavy channel iron and connected by transversely extending cross members 4, 5, also preferably formed of relatively heavy channel iron, the cross member 4 being located at the rear end of the frame and the cross member 5 being located approximately midway between the forward and rear ends, the latter being secured upon the underface of the side members 2, 3, so 4as to afford maximum clearance within the frame intermediate the side members 2, 3. Rigidly mounted Vat its ends upon, and extending horizontally between, the

forward ends of the side members 2, 3, is a heavy tubular spindle-member 6 and rigidly mounted thereon midway between the side members 2, 3, is a sleeve 7 which is held in place by means of set collars 8, 9. Welded or otherwise rigidly mounted upon and extending radially outwardly from the sleeve 7 is a main post 10 formed preferably of large dia-meter heavy-gauge steel tubing and having a length of approximately nine feet. The frame 1 is also provided at its four corners with downwardly presented conventional casters 11, which are preferably of the swivel type Vto facilitate moving the goal-structure A from place toplace over the gymnasium floor. In this connection, it should be noted that the length of the post 10 and the vertical dimensions of the frame 1 and the castersllare not critical but, nevertheless, must be such that when the entire structure is opened up into playing position the basket b will be supported at a location high above the floor.

Welded or otherwise rigidly mounted upon the upper endof the post 10 and extending angularly forwardly and upwardly therefrom is a pair of spaced parallel cantilever beams 12, 13, which are provided adjacent their outer ends with a double-headed pintle or hinge pin 14. Also welded to the forwardly presented face of the post 10 in downwardly spaced relation to the cantilever beams 12, 13, is a pair of forwardly projecting parallel ears 15, 16, which are also provided with double-headed pintles or hinge pins 17, 18, respectively, and rockably mounted thereon is a pair of angularly disposed arms 19, 20, which are preferably formed of heavy channel iron and are spaced outwardly from the laterally presented surfaces of the post 10 but a suicient distance to afford easy clearance. At their outer ends the arms 19, 20, are respectively welded to gusset plates 21, 22, which are, in turn, welded to the rear end of a forwardly and upwardly inclined main-arm 23 which is formed preferably of a relatively heavy I-beam and is cut away at its forward end in the manner shown in FIG. 6 to provide an exposed web portion 24 which is of somewhat reduced width. Welded upon the forwardly presented end of the exposed web portion 24 is a U-shaped bracket-member 25 to which the basket b is rigidly attached. It should be noted in this connection that the basket b is of conventional or so-called regulation design and construction.

Pivotally mounted by means of a double-headed hinge pin 26 upon the exposed liange portion rearwardly and above the bracket-member 25 is a clevis 27 rigidly provided with a pair of mounting brackets 28, 29, having laterally extending aperture-arms 30, 31, which are bolted upon the rear face of a backboard 32 adjacent the lower horizontal margin thereof, The backboard 32 is also provided upon its rear face and adjacent its upper margin with a pair of rearwardly extending arms 33, 34, which are hingedly connected by means of double-headed hinge pins 35, 36, to rearwardly converging brace rods 37, 38, which are, in turn, conjointly pivoted at their rear ends upon the pintle or hinge pin 14 carried by the cantilever beams 12, 13.

The arms 19,20, project rearwardly from the post 10 and are cross-connected by a hinge pin 39 which is intermediately provided with a tubular spacer-sleeve 40. At its outer ends the pin 39 is hingedly connected to the upper ends of downwardly and outwardly diverging brace rods 41, 42, which are, in turn, hingedly mounted at their lower ends upon hinge pins 43, 44, which are mounted upon the inner faces of the side members 2, 3, respectively, all as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Also welded upon and projecting radially from the sleeve 7 is a-,crank `arm 45 which is .spaced laterally from the post 10 and is provided at its outer end with a pintle or hinge pin 46 by which it is operatively connected to the outer end of a piston rod 47 forming part of a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 48 which is, in turn, rockably mounted at its lower end upon a pintle 49 supported between ears 50, 51, which are, in turn, welded upon the upper face of the cross member 5. Suitably mounted upon the cross member 4 is a conventional manually operable hydraulic jack 52, a fluid reservoir 53, and a two-way valve 54, the latter being connected to the cylinder by exible conduits 55, 56. The hydraulic system comprising the cylinder 48, the jack 52, the reservoir 53, and the two-way valve 54 are well understood by those familiar with hydraulic systems and, therefore, need not be described in more specific detail. It is sufficient to merely point out that when the valve 54 is set in one position hydraulic uid under pressure will flow through the valve and the line 55 to one side of the cylinder 48 and uid under low pressure will iiow out of the other side of the cylinder through the line S6 back through the valve 54 into the reservoir 53, causing the piston rod 47 to move in one direction and, contrariwise, when the valve 54 is set in its other position the flow of uid through the conduits 55, 56, will be reversed thereby causing the piston rod 47 to move in the opposite direction. It will, of course, be understood that in a conventional type of electrically operated device a hydraulic pump can be substituted for the manually operated hydraulic jack 52. Similarly, other types of poweractuating means such as ratchet jacks, screw jacks, and the like, can be substituted for the hydraulic jacks shown and described herein.

When the goal-structure A is unfolded or opened up to playing position as shown in FIG. 2, it will, of course, be located in goal-forming position in reference to a basketball court as illustrated in FIG. l, and in this position will be bolted down securely to the floor in any conventional manner. As is well understood by those familiar with this art, gymnasium oors are commonly constructed with various types of insert fittings to which gymnasium equipment can ybe fastened or attached, and any such conventional fittings can be used for the purpose of rendering the frame 1 stationary. In this position, the basket b will be supported precisely and accurately in regular position over the basketball -court and, as can be seen from FIG. l, the goal-structure A, while extremely strong and rigid, is, nevertheless, relatively compact and presents a minimum of visual interference from the viewpoint of the spectators who are seated across the ends of the basketball court. When it becomes necessary to remove the goal-structure A for storage, the valve 54 may be adjusted to the appropriate position of the hydraulic jack 52, manipulated to withdraw the piston rod 47 within the cylinder 48, thereby rotating the crank arm 45, the sleeve 7, and the post 10 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 5. The brace rods 41, 42, thereupon cause the arms 19, 20, to pivot about the hinge pins 17, 18, swinging the main-arm 23 rearwardly and downwardly. At the same time, the brace rods 37, 38 cause the backboard 32 to swing rearwardly and downwardly about the hinge pin 26 in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2. This swinging movement causes the lower margin of the backboard 32 to lift upwardly and rearwardly from its position to the basket b. When the piston rod 47 is fully retracted the entire structure is folded up in the compact position shown in FIG. 8. In this position it can be easily rolled and pushed across the oor to any desired storage location. When it is again needed for use, the goal-structure A can be similarly rolled out into position and the valve 54 turned to an appropriate position so that hydraulic fluid from the jack 52 can be forced into the cylinder 48, thereby extending the piston rod and swinging the post 10 into upright position. As the post 10 swings into upright position, the `brace rods 41, 42, swing the main-arm 23 into operative position and therbrace rods 37, 38 swing the backboard into upright position so that the goal-structure A will assume the fully extended or playing position shown in FIG. 2.

It is also possible to provide a modified form of a basketball goal-structure which is adapted for disposition within a pit P constructed beneath the gymnasium floor and probably can best be referred to as a disappearing basketball goal-structure. As shown in FIGS. 9-14, inclusive, the pit P comprises a shallow rectilinear recess including a fiat-bottom wall or sub-floor 57, end walls 58, 59, and side walls 60, 61, all of which can be constructed from any suitable materials thereof. As shown in the drawings, the pit P is constructed of reinforced concrete as an integral continuation of the concrete suboor of the gymnasium. Hingedly mounted along the two longitudinal margins of the pit P at oor-level by means of concealed flush-type hinges h are two trap doors d1, d2, each of which extends half-way across the opening at the top of the pit P and meet in close-fitting abutment along the center line thereof. The upper faces of the doors d1, d2, are formed of hard maple flooring which matches the ooring of the gymnasuim, and is precisely iiush therewith when the doors d1, d2, are in closed position. The doors d1, d2, are, furthermore, provided on the underfaces with a plurality of angular trusses t1, t2, which support and reinforce the doors d1, d2, when the latter are in closed position, all as best seen in FIG. 12. The doors d1, d2, are substantially provided with circular openings 62, 63, 64, and angular slots 65, 66, which are normally closed with snug-fitting flush-topped plug members 67, 68, 69, 70, and 71, respectively, all as best seen in FIG. 13 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

Operatively disposed within the pit P is a disappearing basketball goal-structure A' which is substantially similar in all respects to the previously described goal-structure A, and includes a base frame 1 which is identical with the previously described base frame 1 except that the casters 11 are omitted and instead the base frame 1 is rigidly fastened upon the upper face of the sub-floor 57 by means of lag bolts 72.

The disappearing goal-structure A also includes a piston rod 47 and a hydraulic cylinder 48 which are similar to the previously described piston rod 47 and hydraulic cylinder 4S. The hydraulic cylinder 48', however, is connected by conduits 73, 74, to a conventional two-way solenoid actuated valve 75 which is, in turn, operatively connected in hydraulic circuit with a fluid reservoir 76 and an electrically driven hydraulic pump 77. The solenoid actuated valve 75 and the pump 77 are electrically connected to a remote control panel which may be of any suitable or conventional design, and, therefore, is not shown or described in detail herein.

Ordinarily the disappearing goal-structure A will be disposed in inoperative or folded-up position within the pit P as shown in FIG. 14, and the doors d1, d2, will be disposed in closed forming position on top of the pit P with plugs 67, 68, 70, and "71 in place, thereby presenting a smooth, flush, Virtually unbroken continuation of the gymnasium floor surface. When it is necessary to swing the goal-structure up into operative position, the plugs 67, 68, 69, 70, and 71 are manually removed and the doors d1, d2, swung upwardly out of the way. Thereupon the solenoid actuated valve 75 is set into the clear position and the electrica-l pump 77 energized to force fluid into the cylinder 4S and shift the piston rod 47 outwardly. The goal-structure is thereby swung upwardly into operative position shown in FiG. l0 and the doors d1, d2, are thereupon swung back into horizontal closureforming position. The circular plugs 67, 68, and 69, may be taken away and stored in any suitable or convenient place for as long as the goal-structure A is in opened-up or playing position. The plugs 70, 71, however, can be replaced in the slots 65, 66, since these slots serve `only as clearance slots to allow the doors d1, d2,

6 to swing downwardly witho-ut interference from the brace rods 41', 42.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in ythe form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the folding basketball goal-structure may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by letters patent is:

1. A basketball goal-structure comprising a base having means to facilitate movement thereof across a basketball court from a place of storage to a position of use, an articulated boom operatively mounted on said base and including a pair of elements pivotally connected to each other, one of said elements also being pivotally connected to the base, means for moving said boom from a folded position, in which said elements are foldably disposed in relation to said base, into an upright position in which said elements extend upwardly and outwardly from said base, means responsive to movement of the boom for causing the elements of the boom to swing outwardly with respect to each other as the boom moves upwardly, and goal-forming means carried by the outer end of the boom.

2. A basketball goal-structure comprising a base having means to facilitate movement thereof across a basketball court from a place of storage to a position of use, an articulated boom operatively mounted on said base and including a pair of elements pivotally connected to each other, one of said elements also being pivotally connected to the base, means for moving said boom from a folded position, in which said elements are foldably disposed in relation to said base, into an upright position in which said elements extend upwardly and outwardly from said base, means responsive to movement of the boom for causing the elements of the boom to swing outwardly with respect to each other as the boom moves upwardly, a basket rigidly mounted on the outer end of the boom, and a backboard swingably mounted on the boom adjacent to the basket.

3. A basketball goal-structure comprising a base having means to facilitate movement thereof across a basketball court from a place of storage to a position of use, an articulated boom operatively mounted on said base and including a pair of elements pivotally connected to each other, one of the elements also being pivotally connected to the base, means for pivotally moving said boom from a folded position, in which it is compactly disposed in relation to said base, into an upright position in which it extends upwardly and outwardly from said base, means responsive to movement of the boom for causing the elements of the boom to swing outwardly with respect to each other as the boom moves upwardly, a basket rigidly mounted on the `outer end of the boom, a backboard swingably mounted on the boom adjacent to the basket, and means responsive to movement of the boom for swinging the backboard into upright position with respect to the basket.

4. A basketball goal structure comprising a flat base, a rst boom element pivotally mounted on said base, a second boom element pivotally mounted on the first boom element, a goal-forming means pivotally mounted on said second boom element, and reversible means for simultaneously causing the pivoting of said first boom element with respect to said base, the pivoting of said second hoorn element with respect to said first boom element and the pivoting of said goal-forming means with respect to said second boom element whereby when said reversible means operates in one direction the goal-forming means will be elevated for use and when said reversible means is yoperated in the other direction the goal-forming means and the elements will be folded together in compact overlying relation with respect to said base.

5. A basketball goal structure comprising a at base,

7 a first boom element pivotally mounted on said base, a second boom element hingedly connected to the first boom element, a basket rigidly mounted o-n the second boom element, a backboard pivotally mounted on the second element at the basket, first link means pivotally connected to the base and the second element, second link means pivotally connected to the backboard and the first element, and reversible driving means for causing said first element to pivot with respect to the base whereby when said driving means is operated in one direction the iirst and second elements and the backstop will be folded compactly on the base and when said driving means is operated in the reverse direction the first and second elements will be urged upwardly and outwardly from the base and the backstop will simultaneously be urged into the proper position with respect to the basket.

6. A basketball goal structure comprising a at base, a spindle journaled on said base, a first boom 4element securely mounted on said spindle,'a seco-nd boom element hingedly connected to the first boom element, a basket rigidly mounted on the second boom element, a backboard pivotally-mounted on the second element at the basket, first link means lpivotally connected to the base and the second element, second link means pivotally connected to the backboard and the rst element, and reversible driving means for causing said rst element to pivot with respect to the base whereby when said driving means is operated in one direction the rst and second elements and the backstop will be folded compactly on the base and when said driving means is operated in the reverse direction the first and second elements will be urged upwardly and outwardly from the base and the backstop will simultaneously be urged into the proper position with respect to the basket.

7. A basketball goal structure comprising a flat base ladapted for lying twise upon a horizontal surface and also adapted for secured attachment thereto, a spindle journaled on said base, a irst boom element securely mounted on said spindle, a second boom ele-ment hingedly connected to the first boom element, a basket rigidly mounted on the second boom element, a backboard pivotally mounted on the second element at the basket, first link means pivotally connected to the base and the second element, second link means pivotally connected to the backboard and the rst element, and reversible driving means for causing said rst element to pivot with respect to the base whereby when said driving means is operated in one direction the Vrst and second elements and the backstop'will be folded compactly on the base and when said drivingmeans is'operated in the reverse direction the rst and second elements will be urged upwardly and outwardly from the base and the backstop will simultaneously be urged into the proper position with respect to the basket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,924,811 Schulz Aug. 29, 1933 2,227,310 Hoppes et al Dec. 31, 1940 2,847,216 Courtney Aug. 12, 1958 2,872,192 Margetts et al. Feb. `3,1959 

